Chickpea Avocado Salad

Salads in the summertime are my thang. Mostly because then I know I won't be turning on my oven and turning my house into a furnace. But I also love the crunch from a salad, and the taste of all the fresh veggies.

It's also one of the easiest things to make, especially if you're new to cooking. It's really just a matter of throwing a ton of stuff into a bowl and tossing it with some dressing, so if you're new to cooking, start with salads because it's basic but delicious and relatively hard to mess up. It's also super easy to make salads look all fancy and gourmet, with special cheeses or a fancy dressing.

I'm all about the salad that can serve as a snack or as a meal depending on what else I throw into it. This one is amazing as either a snack or a meal, my meal version of it including some grilled chicken, because again, I wouldn't have to turn on my oven to BBQ some chicken.

The biggest thing with this is making sure you have a solid, basic Balsamic Vinaigrette. That's one of those staples though that should just be in your refrigerator, so just make a large quantity and store it in your fridge for a couple months and then when you get a hankering for this salad, one step is already out of the way!

1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 Avocado, diced

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Serves: 2

Take all of your ingredients, put them in a bowl, toss so everything is coated with the dressing, divide into two bowls and serve!

* If you prefer it chilled, make it an hour prior to serving and let it chill in the fridge.

** If you want to turn this into a meal, add in the protein of your choice! I prefer grilled chicken, but grilled shrimp or salmon are also delicious!